VMware Accelerated AMD PCNet Adapter - install failure

[Uncle_Rocky]

Greetings.

Host: Windows XP Pro SP2, all MS Updates

VMWare 5.5.3 Build 34685

Guest Windows XP Pro SP2, all MS Updates

Tried to add a new NIC, Guest Windows Says "New hardware found...."

Tries to install.

Ends with "An error occurred during the installation of the device. The system cannot find the file specified."

Now no network connectivity. Any ideas on how to fix this tragedy?

[KevinG]

Post the .vmx file from the virtual machine

You may want to try uninstalling the VMware tools and reinstall.

You could also configure the virtual CD-ROM drive to mount the windows.iso file located in the \Program Files\VMware\VMware Workstation directory to manually install the device driver from the CD in device manager.

[Uncle_Rocky]

I am not sure how to post the .vmx file.

I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling VMware tools, with no change.

I tried the windows.iso file as you suggested, but when I try to update the driver, Windows XP says "The wizard could not find a better match for the hardware than the software you currently have installed. I can only then go back or exit the wizard.

[KevinG]

The .vmx file (virtual machine configuration file) is located in the directory where you created the virtual machine. It is a simple text file so you can just copy / paste the information here.

Did you try an uninstall and reinstall of the device driver?

What does device manager show for the adapter type and driver info?

[Uncle_Rocky]

Contents of .vmx

config.version = "8"

virtualHW.version = "4"

scsi0.present = "TRUE"

memsize = "512"

MemAllowAutoScaleDown = "FALSE"

ide0:0.present = "TRUE"

ide0:0.fileName = "C:\Documents and Settings\xxxxxx\My Documents\My Virtual Machines\xxxxxxx\Windows XP Professional.vmdk"

ide1:0.present = "TRUE"

ide1:0.fileName = "C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Workstation\windows.iso"

ide1:0.deviceType = "cdrom-image"

floppy0.present = "FALSE"

ethernet0.present = "TRUE"

usb.present = "FALSE"

sound.present = "FALSE"

sound.virtualDev = "es1371"

sound.fileName = "-1"

sound.autodetect = "TRUE"

displayName = "xxxxxxx"

guestOS = "winxppro"

nvram = "Windows XP Professional.nvram"

ide0:0.redo = ""

ethernet0.addressType = "generated"

uuid.location = "56 4d cf a7 47 34 b7 73-9a 52 95 5e f2 c2 df 6d"

uuid.bios = "56 4d cf a7 47 34 b7 73-9a 52 95 5e f2 c2 df 6d"

ide1:0.autodetect = "TRUE"

ethernet0.generatedAddress = "00:0c:29:c2:df:6d"

ethernet0.generatedAddressOffset = "0"

tools.syncTime = "TRUE"

ethernet0.connectionType = "bridged"

workingDir = "."

checkpoint.vmState = ""

sharedFolder.maxNum = "0"

sharedFolder0.present = "FALSE"

sharedFolder0.enabled = "FALSE"

sharedFolder0.readAccess = "TRUE"

sharedFolder0.writeAccess = "TRUE"

sharedFolder0.hostPath = "C:\"

sharedFolder0.guestName = "C on host"

sharedFolder0.expiration = "never"

ide1:0.startConnected = "FALSE"

sound.startConnected = "FALSE"

ethernet0.vnet = "VMnet2"

usb.generic.autoconnect = "FALSE"

parallel0.present = "TRUE"

parallel0.startConnected = "FALSE"

parallel0.autodetect = "TRUE"

parallel0.bidirectional = "TRUE"

sharedFolder1.present = "FALSE"

sharedFolder1.enabled = "TRUE"

sharedFolder1.readAccess = "TRUE"

sharedFolder1.writeAccess = "TRUE"

sharedFolder1.hostPath = "Z:\"

sharedFolder1.guestName = "Z on Host"

sharedFolder1.expiration = "never"

parallel0.fileName = "LPT1"

usb.autoConnect.device0 = ""

ethernet1.present = "FALSE"

ethernet1.connectionType = "custom"

ethernet1.vnet = "VMnet1"

ethernet1.startConnected = "FALSE"

ethernet1.addressType = "generated"

ethernet1.generatedAddress = "00:0c:29:c2:df:77"

ethernet1.generatedAddressOffset = "10"

sharedFolder2.present = "TRUE"

sharedFolder2.enabled = "TRUE"

sharedFolder2.readAccess = "TRUE"

sharedFolder2.writeAccess = "TRUE"

sharedFolder2.hostPath = "Z:\"

sharedFolder2.guestName = "Z on Host"

sharedFolder2.expiration = "never"

ethernet0.startConnected = "TRUE"

ethernet2.present = "FALSE"

ethernet2.connectionType = "custom"

ethernet2.vnet = "VMnet3"

ethernet2.startConnected = "FALSE"

ethernet2.addressType = "generated"

ethernet2.generatedAddress = "00:0c:29:c2:df:81"

ethernet2.generatedAddressOffset = "20"

[Uncle_Rocky]

Device manager will not let me uninstall the device, with the statement, "Failed to uninstall the device. The device may be required to boot up the computer."

[Uncle_Rocky]

Device Manager says that no properties are available for the device.

[KevinG]

Look like you made many attempts to add and remove virtual network adapter from the virtual machine configuration.

What type of virtual networking do you want to use with your virtual machine.

I ask since you have been changing the Bridged default of vmnet0 to vmnet2...etc

I am not sure why you did this unless you have more than one physical network adapter on the host.

Also your current .vmx file only shows one virtual network adapter in the virtual machine configuration that is enabled, so I am confused as to why to are trying to configure a second network adapter in the guest OS.

Here is your .vmx file cleaned up a little

config.version = "8"

virtualHW.version = "4"

scsi0.present = "TRUE"

memsize = "512"

MemAllowAutoScaleDown = "FALSE"

ide0:0.present = "TRUE"

ide0:0.fileName = "C:\Documents and Settings\xxxxxx\My Documents\My Virtual Machines\xxxxxxx\Windows XP Professional.vmdk"

ide1:0.present = "TRUE"

ide1:0.fileName = "C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Workstation\windows.iso"

ide1:0.deviceType = "cdrom-image"

floppy0.present = "FALSE"

ethernet0.present = "TRUE"

usb.present = "FALSE"

sound.present = "FALSE"

sound.virtualDev = "es1371"

sound.fileName = "-1"

sound.autodetect = "TRUE"

displayName = "xxxxxxx"

guestOS = "winxppro"

nvram = "Windows XP Professional.nvram"

ide0:0.redo = ""

ethernet0.addressType = "generated"

uuid.location = "56 4d cf a7 47 34 b7 73-9a 52 95 5e f2 c2 df 6d"

uuid.bios = "56 4d cf a7 47 34 b7 73-9a 52 95 5e f2 c2 df 6d"

ide1:0.autodetect = "TRUE"

ethernet0.generatedAddress = "00:0c:29:c2:df:6d"

ethernet0.generatedAddressOffset = "0"

tools.syncTime = "TRUE"

ethernet0.connectionType = "bridged"

workingDir = "."

checkpoint.vmState = ""

sharedFolder.maxNum = "0"

sharedFolder0.present = "FALSE"

sharedFolder0.enabled = "FALSE"

sharedFolder0.readAccess = "TRUE"

sharedFolder0.writeAccess = "TRUE"

sharedFolder0.hostPath = "C:\"

sharedFolder0.guestName = "C on host"

sharedFolder0.expiration = "never"

ide1:0.startConnected = "FALSE"

sound.startConnected = "FALSE"

usb.generic.autoconnect = "FALSE"

parallel0.present = "TRUE"

parallel0.startConnected = "FALSE"

parallel0.autodetect = "TRUE"

parallel0.bidirectional = "TRUE"

sharedFolder1.present = "FALSE"

sharedFolder1.enabled = "TRUE"

sharedFolder1.readAccess = "TRUE"

sharedFolder1.writeAccess = "TRUE"

sharedFolder1.hostPath = "Z:\"

sharedFolder1.guestName = "Z on Host"

sharedFolder1.expiration = "never"

parallel0.fileName = "LPT1"

usb.autoConnect.device0 = ""

sharedFolder2.present = "TRUE"

sharedFolder2.enabled = "TRUE"

sharedFolder2.readAccess = "TRUE"

sharedFolder2.writeAccess = "TRUE"

sharedFolder2.hostPath = "Z:\"

sharedFolder2.guestName = "Z on Host"

sharedFolder2.expiration = "never"

ethernet0.startConnected = "TRUE"

[Uncle_Rocky]

Thanks for the continued effort, by the way.

I have three networks connections that all of my guests use at different times, depending on the application. The first is a builin NIC on the PC. The second is a WiFi connection, and the third is a PCMCIA network card. I use all three at once sometimes to attach to different networks: corporate, personal, and industrial.

[KevinG]

Adding a fouth network card would be a porblem since you have run out of available PCI slots in the VM.

Can you send me a screeshot of what you are seeing in device manager by email, the email address is in my profile.

[Uncle_Rocky]

I tried, but my e-mail failed to be delivered to you.

[Uncle_Rocky]

After a reboot, I get:

This device is not working properly because Windows cannot load the drivers required for this device. (Code 31)

Driver details:

Driver provider VMware, Inc.

Driver Date 10/25/2004

Driver version 2.0.0.5

[Raist]

I am having the same problem on an XP SP2 box. Details on my side is that we have upgraded to ESX 3.5 from 1.x and with the vmxnet driver type instead of flexible when using vmotion to migrate the client box network connectivity is lost until I disconnect and reconnect the nic connectivity. Removed the current vmxnet NIC and added a flexible one worked just fine in server, but had to run a netsh int ip reset command to strip the old ip settings from the old instances of the NIC. Now with the XP Pro box my driver information is

Driver provider VMware, inc.

Driver Date 9/29/2007

Driver version 2.0.1.8

Or

Driver provider VMware, Inc.

Driver Date 10/25/2004

Driver version 2.0.0.5

One thing that has allowed me to remove the device from the system and rescan for a driver was system file checker. Run sfc.exe /scannow. That replaced a couple of protected system files but hasn't fixed the problem yet it just made a little progress.